1. STUDENT NOTES #1 CH. 5 MEXICO

2. Why Study Mexico?
Constitution of 1917 was model for other progressive movements in Latin America
Longest single-party government in the modern world ( )
Mexico political system was very stable during 20th century
Political economy is a classic example of the challenges and prospects of the transition from state-led development to neoliberal economic policy
NAFTA – relationship with United States

3. OVERVIEW System of Government: Presidential
Distribution of Power: Federal System
Electoral System: Mixed System: SMDP and PR
Constitution: Constitution of 1917
Legislature: Bicameral - Chamber of Deputies & Senate
Current Head of State: Enrique Peña Nieto
Head of Government: Enrique Peña Nieto
Current Ruling Party: PRI
Major Political Parties: PRI, PAN, PRD

4. THE MEXICAN STATE Constitutional republic
Currently: DEMOCRATIC REGIME
Formal separation of powers
Federal Presidential
Political centralism – concentration of decision making power in pres.
31 states and Federal District
Each divided into municipios headed by mayor and council
Each layer of government successively weaker
Subunits VERY dependent on national gov (funding)
State governors retain control over resources

5. Geographic Influence
Never underestimate the power of simple geography to explain (or create) internal differences in a country.
Mexico is one of the most geographically diverse countries in the world
Mountains and Deserts = Regionalism
Varied Climates = size creates different experiences
Natural Resources = create disproportional wealth
A long border with the United States
115,000,000 People

6. II. SOVEREIGNTY, AUTHORITY, POWER: EVOLUTION OF MEXICAN STATE
Originally occupied by the Mayan civilization about 1,000 years ago; civilization then gave way to the Aztecs.
SPANISH COLONIALISM:
Spanish incorporated native population into an elaborate hierarchy.
Criollos, mestizos, indigenous
Spanish haciendas formed on huge estates
Catholic Church owned 1/3 of the country and forced Catholicism
Spanish were not effective colonial leaders and were never able to secure rule throughout the country

7. II. SOVEREIGNTY, AUTHORITY, POWER: EVOLUTION OF MEXICAN STATE
Miguel Hidalgo led rebellion from
Parish Priest issued a call for the end of Spanish misrule in 1810
Began a series of wars of independence that lasted for the next 11 years.
Between 1833 and 1855 there were 36 presidential administrations
Porfirio Diaz
A military coup 1876: ruled for 34 years
Dictatorship (authoritarian), stable, industrialization
So made some economic progression, but many did not benefit

8. II. SOVEREIGNTY, AUTHORITY, POWER: EVOLUTION OF MEXICAN STATE
Countryside - loosely coordinated bands of peasants took up arms
Labor - organized series of strikes in mines and mills
Cities – liberals rallied behind “revolutionary” Francisco Madero
Won presidential nomination in 1910 under Anti-Reelectionist Party however, Diaz “won” election
Madero gathered supporters, started war against Diaz, who agreed to abdicate.

9. II. SOVEREIGNTY, AUTHORITY, :POWER EVOLUTION OF MEXICAN STATE
Francisco Madero elected President and was soon assassinated – political order in Mexico collapsed
Peasant Revolts
Emiliano Zapata
Francisco (Pancho) Villa
Venustiano Carranza
Demanded agrarian reform
All formed armies of landless peasants and poor industrial workers
1916, Carranza occupied Mexico City, led to elections and new constitutional assembly

10. II. SOVEREIGNTY, AUTHORITY, POWER: EVOLUTION OF MEXICAN STATE
1917 Constitution
Current source of regime and legitimacy
Democratic government, checks and balances, “competitive” elections
Power of church limited, foreigners no longer allowed to own Mexican land or mineral resources
1928 President Plutarco Elias Calles
Could not run for reelection under constitution SO to provide continuity from one presidency to another CREATE A POLITICAL PARTY to control nomination and election
CALLES LEGACY: regulated how succession would occur and instituted one party rule
Mexico still sucked, just wasn’t as violent

11. II. SOVEREIGNTY, AUTHORITY, POWER: EVOLUTION OF MEXICAN STATE
Creation of Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) (1929)
Stabilized conflict among leaders by “institutionalizing” one party
70 year reign: the “perfect dictatorship”
State and party merged into one
Single-party controls access to political offices (ALL)
Partido Revolucionario Institucional (CORPORATISM)
Pendulum Theory – back and forth policies brought on by changing PRI leaders
Maintain power/limit revolution by encouraging loyalty
***Created stable government, BUT cost social reforms
***Established firm patron-client relationship

12. II. SOVEREIGNTY, AUTHORITY, POWER: EVOLUTION OF MEXICAN STATE
Patron-client relationships (camarillas) aka corporatism
Corporatism contrasts pluralism
People are members of groups that make up society
MX: military, peasants, workers, middle class
Leaders of camarillas can be co-opted by material reward (jobs); creates loyalty (votes)
Heavy repression/reforms in times of criticism

13. II. SOVEREIGNTY, AUTHORITY, POWER: EVOLUTION OF MEXICAN STATE
Mexican citizens consider government and its power legitimate
Sources of Legitimacy
Revolution of and subsequent Constitution
Admiration of revolutionary leaders
Seen as acceptable path to change, and charisma is highly valued as a leadership characteristic
PRI – maintain a perceived sense of legitimacy; façade of democracy
Free and open elections
Even created electoral reform during times of criticism to make it easier for opposition parties

14. II. SOVEREIGNTY, AUTHORITY, POWER: EVOLUTION OF MEXICAN STATE
THE CARDENAS UPHEAVAL ( )
Cárdenas was handpicked as Calles successor – Cardenas quickly exiled his former patron
Redistribution of Land
From haciendados (landowners) to ejidos (cooperative farms)
Nationalization of Industry (PEMEX)
Produced ¼ of world’s oil; removed foreign firms
Concentration of Power in Presidency, called the “perfect dictator”

15. II. SOVEREIGNTY, AUTHORITY, POWER: EVOLUTION OF MEXICAN STATE
Import substitution industrialization
High tariffs, subsidies, economic favoritism, state ownership and management
“Mexican Miracle” - Fueled strong economic growth for 40 years
Oil reserves discovered in 1970s
1970s-1990s economic crisis
HUGE DEBT – internal and external
Rising inflation
Devaluation of peso
Mexicans supported PRI b/c of strong economic growth
Undermined PRI leverage – helped spur civil society towards democratic reform

16. II. SOVEREIGNTY, AUTHORITY, POWER: EVOLUTION OF MEXICAN STATE
Neoliberalism – free markets, balanced budgets, privatization, minimal government intervention
NAFTA (1994)
Proposed by President Salinas
Signed by Mexico, Canada, US
Removed barriers on trade and investment b/t the three countries
Economic globalization (US)

17. II. SOVEREIGNTY, AUTHORITY, POWER: EVOLUTION OF MEXICAN STATE
1988 presidential election PRI won with 50.4% of vote; marred by allegations of fraud
lost gubernatorial elections throughout country
1990s:
Federal Electoral Institute
Public financing for all party candidates
Opposition gained control of Chamber of Deputies (lower house)
Opposition party elected mayor of Mexico City

18. II. SOVEREIGNTY, AUTHORITY, POWER: EVOLUTION OF MEXICAN STATE
PRI appeared to be in state of decomposition
BOTTOM LINE: PRI (government) response to human needs (economic, basic needs, civil rights) either slow or nonexistent SO led to DEMAND for a more transparent and efficient democratic system
Electoral reforms, media scrutiny (refer to pg. 124 in Wedding book)
2000: PAN candidate Vicente Fox won
PRI - Third place finish in presidential election in 2006, but PAN won by less than 1%
2012: back in presidency, but not in Congress
Current divided government